An Australian Abrams main battle tank fires its gun during Exercise Southern Jackaroo 17 at Mount Bundey Training Area, Northern Territory. Photo by Captain Dean Muller

Multi-million$ NT ranges work ramps up

04/10/2019 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2434 Views 0 Comments

A Northern Territory company has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract to upgrade range facilities at four Defence training areas.

Sitzler Pty Ltd secured the $22 million contract as the Managing Contractor for the Development Phase of the $514 million Northern Territory Training Areas and Ranges Project.

Sitzler will manage the design and development of upgrades to facilities and infrastructure at Defence training areas at Robertson Barracks, Kangaroo Flats, Mount Bundey and Bradshaw.

Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds said today’s announcement was a significant milestone for the United States Force Posture Initiatives.

“Our Northern Territory training areas and ranges are essential for supporting the joint training needs of the Australian Defence Force and our United States partners,” Minister Reynolds said.

“This reinvestment is part of the government’s commitment to the Northern Territory made under the 2015 Developing Northern Australia White Paper and the 2016 Defence White Paper.

“Just two years after the pilot program for the government’s Local Industry Capability Plan was announced, we are seeing this policy in action.”

Sitzler have provided a Local Industry Capability Plan with a target of 98 per cent of construction sub-contract packages to be awarded to businesses within the Northern Territory.

An estimated $14 million in design sub-consultants will be engaged over the next three to four months to progress the designs for subsequent government and parliamentary approvals, with construction scheduled to commence in late 2021 with completion anticipated by 2025.

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